Contract hauling question

[Albee]

Looks like time = distance^2 to me

Easy when you know how. (And how sad that I didn't, ex-engineer and all). Thanks yet again, SandJ.

General advice: short jumps are best wherever possible (for several reasons). If a long jump can't be avoided, look for ships going your way and hitch a lift.

Excellent idea! Can someone please write an OXP for the ESED (Electronic Sub-Ether Device) that Ford Prefect used to hitch a ride in THHGTTG?

Ohl n YbatEnatrFpnaare naq nsgre gung lbh pna ohl n WhzcCynaare gb znxr purng whzcf sebz bar raq bs n tnynkl gb gur bgure raq. Jryy vg jvyy pbfg lbh 200x ohg lbh pna rnfvyl trg zber zbarl guna gur pbfg!

V'z fher na RFRQ fubhyq jbex bhg purncre guna gung.

May I suggest you invest in an [wiki]Advanced Navigational Array[/wiki]? And then simply follow the fastest route to your destination. No reason to calculate anything yourself.

Got one, Commander, and I use it all the time -- I have the ANA to thank for my earlier successful voyages. Even that marvellous device can't compensate for sheer, unadulterated greed, however!

Can anyone explain to me how the time allowed for contracts is calculated? I assume it's (fastest route + X%) -- if so, it would be very useful to know the limits of X.

For the benefit of any newcomers out there who perhaps fancy trying their hand at contract hauling, you should read Diziet Sma's comments in this thread. Just to underscore the points made there, you should have no problem with a single contract: as Commander McLane says, just use the Advanced Navigational Array and follow the pale blue 'fastest' route (not the yellow 'least-jumps' route, please note) to collect a nice payout at the end. The problem arises when you start to accept additional simultaneous contracts requiring a detour from the fastest route. These earn you more money, but do involve an element of risk. One or two additional contracts might be okay (depending on how much 'fat' there is in the time allowed for the first contract, and how big the detours are) but take on too many at once and eventually there comes a point where it's physically impossible to complete them all in the timescale allowed. Sadly, that's what happened to me in this case.

What I hope no one will request is an enhancement to the ANA that allows you to input a whole bunch of destinations and be told the quickest route and elapsed time to each. That would make contract hauling far too easy, IMO, and take all the fun out of it.

[Cody]

look for ships going your way and hitch a lift.

Excellent idea! Can someone please write an OXP for the ESED (Electronic Sub-Ether Device) that Ford Prefect used to hitch a ride in THHGTTG?

The Wormhole Scanner is very handy kit.

[Eric Walch]

Can anyone explain to me how the time allowed for contracts is calculated? I assume it's (fastest route + X%) -- if so, it would be very useful to know the limits of X.

That is correct, it is (fastest route + X%) and X% is a random generated time, not based on distance.

[Albee]

Okay... confession time, guys. I'd never even noticed that estimated travel times are reported on both the short and long-range charts! How idiotic am I? (Maybe the missus is right, and Pound Shop ready specs just don't cut the mustard at my age).

Something strange is happening, though. When I type in a planet name on the long range chart and press ctrl+^ (with the Advanced Navigation Array fitted, of course), the route is shown, but there's no report. If I traverse the cross hairs manually to a planet, there is. I can force a report on my 'target' planet, however, by typing in the name, shifting the cross hairs to its neighbour, then shifting back. I presume this is a known issue, but is it a feature? A bug? Neither of the above?

Anyway, now I've finally 'noticed' this facility (and I do have to wonder what other elementary and useful things I've overlooked) everything starts to make sense. Diziet Sma's suggestion about using a calculator, a dozen or so posts back, is eminently feasible and thoroughly sensible -- I can now see at a glance how much 'fat' there is in my main contract. I still need to estimate how much time I'll lose in the detours, of course, but that's where the skill lies, I suppose. And knowing how much time to allow for in-system delays.

The Wormhole Scanner is very handy kit.

I need to read up on this, obviously. Don't know a thing about it, sad to say.

Can anyone explain to me how the time allowed for contracts is calculated? I assume it's (fastest route + X%) -- if so, it would be very useful to know the limits of X.

That is correct, it is (fastest route + X%) and X% is a random generated time, not based on distance.

Thanks, Eric. Just out of interest, what's the minimum value of X? (Hopefully it can never be zero, as even a refuelling stop would push you over the limit).

[SandJ]

Can anyone explain to me how the time allowed for contracts is calculated? I assume it's (fastest route + X%) -- if so, it would be very useful to know the limits of X.

That is correct, it is (fastest route + X%) and X% is a random generated time, not based on distance.

Thanks, Eric. Just out of interest, what's the minimum value of X?

It can't be as simple as just that for the player. You also need to consider whether you are buying fuel or sun-skimming, how fast your ship goes when in-system and how much time you spend mass-locked. It's not just the witch-space time you need to consider.

[Switeck]

If you happen to have OXP equipment that refuels you inflight without sun-skimming (fuel tanks bought in advance or Fuel Collector for instance to name older ones) and/or outright free jump-generating equipment (Long range scanner OXP), then even the handful of minutes spent in at least some systems can be eliminated. (...down to at most 1/3 minute per system anyway.)

My experiments with jump-generating equipment have let me discover theoretically faster means of traveling long distances across the Galaxy Chart, but they're only practical if you effectively have unlimited free fuel. On average, they only save about 1-5 hours per 100 total hours needed...so they're not hugely useful.

[Albee]

It can't be as simple as just that for the player. You also need to consider whether you are buying fuel or sun-skimming, how fast your ship goes when in-system and how much time you spend mass-locked. It's not just the witch-space time you need to consider.

I appreciate that, SandJ. I have to admit, I'd never really taken much account of time till I started contract hauling. I'm aware that the 'clock' whizzes forward occasionally -- obviously during jumps, but also when refuelling at a station, installing equipment and so forth -- but generally my eyes are elsewhere, so I've no real appreciation for how much time has actually passed. During normal flight, and when using the Witchdrive Fuel Injectors, the seconds seem to be ticking away at real-life speed. Time spent in any one system can thus be measured in mere minutes, if one sun-skims -- that's my understanding, anyway. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

You're entirely right, though -- I need to start considering all these factors if I don't want to come another cropper.

If you happen to have OXP equipment that refuels you inflight without sun-skimming (fuel tanks bought in advance or Fuel Collector for instance to name older ones) and/or outright free jump-generating equipment (Long range scanner OXP), then even the handful of minutes spent in at least some systems can be eliminated. (...down to at most 1/3 minute per system anyway.)

I do have OXP tanks -- Smivs' large tank + 2 Fuel Tanks. I occasionally use them when stringing jumps, but like to keep some in hand for pirate encounters.

My experiments with jump-generating equipment have let me discover theoretically faster means of traveling long distances across the Galaxy Chart, but they're only practical if you effectively have unlimited free fuel. On average, they only save about 1-5 hours per 100 total hours needed...so they're not hugely useful.

It's clear that this topic is even more complex and subtle than I'd thought! 1-5% isn't a lot, I agree, but could make all the difference if time is tight. Can you give more details?

[Eric Walch]

Thanks, Eric. Just out of interest, what's the minimum value of X? (Hopefully it can never be zero, as even a refuelling stop would push you over the limit).

I was curious also. It seems the contracts are only offered when:

Code: Select all

days_until_departure <= player_repute + 7 - destination_government

At first glance of the code, days_until_departure can be any random number between 0 and 30 days, and above formula is only to ignore the contracts that give the player too much time. So that created an upper limit. With a better reputation, more contracts are offered with more time to spare. The formula also makes the chance for anarchies as destination with a high time margin, higher than for more stable governments. Interesting.
The minimum time seems to be 0, although with a small chance. Bad luck if you accepter that one

[Albee]

With a better reputation, more contracts are offered with more time to spare.

Strange -- I would have thought newbies were the ones who needed bigger time margins. Unless the idea is to allow high-rep players to take on more and more simultaneous contracts.

The formula also makes the chance for anarchies as destination with a high time margin, higher than for more stable governments. Interesting.

Allowing you time to fight your way through the ravening hoards, presumably -- or is it? Combat hardly takes days, after all.

The minimum time seems to be 0, although with a small chance. Bad luck if you accepted that one

I'll say! You can be sure I'll be taking a very close look at any future contracts. Thanks for the info, Eric.

[Cody]

The Wormhole Scanner is very handy kit.

I need to read up on this, obviously. Don't know a thing about it, sad to say.

I've noticed that the wiki entry on the  Wormhole Scanner is a stub, and maybe needs expanding a little... something like this perhaps:

Ever launched from a station and seen another ship open a wormhole and jump out? Ever wondered where it may be headed? You could just dive into its wormhole cloud and find out when you emerge from witchspace – it may or may not be ideal, but it’s a good way to explore. Or you could purchase a Wormhole Scanner, analyse the wormhole first, and decide if it’s a suitable destination for you.

Thoughts?

[SandJ]

Thoughts?

Done.

[Cody]

<nods at S&J>

[Diziet Sma]

General advice: short jumps are best wherever possible (for several reasons). If a long jump can't be avoided, look for ships going your way and hitch a lift.

It ought to be noted here that hitching a lift through a wormhole will NOT save you any time.. only reduce your fuel bill.. and leave you with full tanks ready to immediately jump again.

[Cody]

It ought to be noted here that hitching a lift through a wormhole will NOT save you any time

Indeed!

and leave you with full tanks ready to immediately jump again.

That as well, but more importantly, you'll have full tanks for the injectors if combat is forced upon you.
It should also be noted that if you jump out to avoid a fight, bandits may well follow you through your own wormhole... this has tactical 'possibilities'.

[Diziet Sma]

Ohl n YbatEnatrFpnaare naq nsgre gung lbh pna ohl n WhzcCynaare gb znxr purng whzcf sebz bar raq bs n tnynkl gb gur bgure raq. Jryy vg jvyy pbfg lbh 200x ohg lbh pna rnfvyl trg zber zbarl guna gur pbfg!

Rot13

WhzcCynaare?